The unnamed protagonist is a 41-year-old bachelor who attributes his ruined health to a fateful train journey two years prior. He is a loyal and polite individual, determined to fulfill the dying wish of his childhood companion by escorting a pine box home to Wisconsin. Gullible and highly sensitive, he possesses a decorous demeanor that clashes with the rougher environment of the train's express car. His active imagination frequently overpowers his physical senses.

Thompson is a 50-year-old train expressman tasked with overseeing the cargo and baggage safely. He has an honest face and a hearty, practical approach to his labor. Deeply religious and highly inventive, he speaks in a colorful, regional dialect and tackles problems with an escalating series of physical solutions. He views challenges as literal opponents, attempting to outwit his environment through sheer persistence.

John B. Hackett is the narrator's dearest boyhood friend and schoolmate. He passes away the day before the narrator returns to Cleveland. His dying request is to have his remains transported back to his parents in Wisconsin, setting the events of the train ride into motion.

Deacon Levi Hackett is the father of John B. Hackett, residing in Bethlehem, Wisconsin. He awaits the return of his son's remains for burial. His title suggests a religious, structured background for the Hackett family.